


Rise, Shining Optional

by schizoauthoress



Category: World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/M, Kaia is a Cute Kid, Not Canon Compliant, Psychopomp!Michelle, Psychopomp!Undertaker, Revenant!Undertaker
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-10
Updated: 2018-05-10
Packaged: 2019-05-04 19:58:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14600568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/schizoauthoress/pseuds/schizoauthoress
Summary: Going to the dark side to dodge domestic duties? Michelle is not cool with that, 'Taker.(set just before The Greatest Royal Rumble; not set in the real world but in a kayfabe/storyline influenced world.)





	Rise, Shining Optional

Michelle McCool finished filling the final plastic container with lunch's leftovers, and popped the airtight lid onto it. She glanced toward the extra large double sink, and noted with displeasure that it was full of dishes, serving spoons, and other cooking utensils. She frowned and called out, "Mark? Why haven't you done any dishes today?"

No response.

Michelle's frown deepened. She walked over to the archway that led to the living room and called again, "Mark?"

There was still no response from her husband, but a familiar little face peeked at her over the back of the couch. When Michelle locked eyes with her daughter, Kaia giggled and ducked out of sight.

"Kaia," Michelle marched into the living room, and asked, "do you know where your daddy is?"

Instead of answering, the little girl squeaked and scrambled around to the other side of the couch. Kaia's giggles continued. Michelle rolled her eyes at the antics and tried not to smile. 

Kaia was young enough that she had trouble keeping secrets. Pretty much everyone knew that she would 'crack under pressure', even Kaia herself. Sometimes it took as little as a stern look from her mother for Kaia to spill the beans. And she was obviously trying to avoid just such a look right now.

Michelle cleared her throat and said airily, "Oh well! If I can't find Daddy, I suppose Kaia will just have to take over his chores!"

From the other side of the couch, Kaia made a supremely indignant sound. She popped up a moment later, hands on her hips, and cried, "No fair!"

"Take it up with Daddy, sweetheart," Michelle replied.

"But I can't, Mommy!" Kaia protested. "Daddy's dead right now!"

That declaration gave Michelle pause, if only for a moment. Mark wasn't due for another stint personally guarding the gates of Hell, not yet. Michelle was absolutely sure about that, because his turn always followed hers. Michelle mirrored her daughter's pose -- hands on her own hips -- and asked, "What does _that_ mean, Kaia Faith?"

The use of the dreaded middle name made Kaia wilt a little. She bit her lip, looked down, then looked back at her mother. "I promised not to tell..."

Michelle raised an eyebrow and just... waited. 

It didn't take long.

"Okayyyy!" Kaia groaned. She came running to Michelle's side and took hold of her mother's hand. "I'll show you, Mommy."

"Showing isn't telling," Michelle observed with a small smile. When Kaia glanced up at her face, Michelle mimed zipping her lips. Kaia grinned with relief and repeated the gesture, giggling again.

****

Kaia led the way to a little used area of the house. Old, framed promotional posters lined the hallway they went down, and though the lights switched on automatically thanks to motion sensors, the illumination was merely -- moodily -- dim. 

Michelle had her suspicions about what she'd see when Kaia showed her what Mark was up to. But for now, she followed her daughter quietly.

Kaia went past a few doors that Michelle knew were always locked. Then she stopped and put her free hand on a door on the left side of the hall.

"This one," she whispered, looking up at Michelle solemnly. Michelle nodded, with equal gravitas, and pushed open the door.

Caskets of various makes and sizes lined the walls of the room beyond. Had a long-time fan of the Undertaker -- or wrestling in general -- seen this place, they would recognize some of the caskets. They were the same ones seen in various iterations of the Undertaker's signature wrestling match.

(The signature match that he had a history of winning, anyway.)

Michelle sighed softly and walked inside, utterly unaffected by the gloomy atmosphere. It only reminded her of the upcoming event in Saudi Arabia, and the uncertainty of who her husband's opponent would actually be -- what was Lana thinking, accepting a casket match on Rusev's behalf without realizing the danger? And then to back out days later...

Since the lid of each casket was lowered, Michelle reached out with her soul chaser senses to determine which one wasn't empty. She glanced back at the door before continuing to walk forward. Kaia was watching in silence, unafraid, just calmly waiting to see what would happen.

She had these moments, sometimes -- something she got from her father. Michelle gave her a thumbs up and a smile, and was rewarded by Kaia responding in kind.

Michelle turned back to her task, laying both hands flat on the casket before her. Her hands looked stark and pale against the gleaming, stained black wood. She took a breath --

And hammered her right fist against the lid repeatedly, like an angry landlady on a mission to collect rent.

"Mark! Get out of there!" she hollered. Kaia was laughing again behind her.

Michelle lifted the lid of the casket and glared down at her husband. Infuriatingly, his face was a near-perfect mask of calm repose. She reached inside and poked her index finger at the center of his chest. There was the briefest flicker of motion from his face -- likely, Mark had snuck a peek at her.

"You are not so dead that you can't do the dishes this week like you're supposed to."

"Sorry, baby," Mark replied, without opening his eyes, "being in a casket means I'm on the dark side."

Michelle leaned down and whispered in Mark's ear, "Real cute, babe, but if you don't get into that kitchen in a hot second, I'm fixing to drag your zombie ass outta there and teach Kaia the finer points of elbow drops." She stepped back, crossed her arms over her chest, and waited. 

Nothing happened.

"Mommy," Kaia called out from the hallway, "Snow White was dead, too, but when Prince Charming kissed her, she came back. Maybe you need to kiss Daddy."

Michelle distinctly heard a snort from the alleged dead body. Great. Now that their daughter had put the idea into Mark's head, he'd refuse to rise without a kiss. She returned to leaning over her husband and hissed, "You're gonna pay for pranking me. When you least expect it."

"Worth it," Mark shot back, right before turning his head just enough to kiss her himself.

Michelle couldn't help the smile that formed after that, so she returned the kiss. "You're lucky I like you so much."

"I know," Mark said seriously.

This time, when Michelle stepped back, Mark sat up a moment later. Kaia clapped her hands excitedly and cried, "Hooray! You brought Daddy back from the dark side, Mommy!"

"She's a real Princess Charming," Mark agreed. Michelle shot him an annoyed look for that comment, and he gave her the slightest smirk in response.

Michelle said coolly, "I'll see you in the kitchen, mister," and strode out of the room without another glance his way.

And she pretended not to hear Mark and Kaia laughing together as she left, hiding a smile behind one hand.

*-*-*-*-*


End file.
